Picking Up The Pieces
by igobumpinthedark
Summary: When Sirius Black suddenly appears after 10 years, free from the clutches of Death, what will he encounter? On hiatus.
1. Chapter 1 Siriusly?

Sirius blinked. Without sitting up he attempted to gaze about the room to determine where he was. The last thing he remembered was Bellatrix sneering at him looking rather triumphant. Yet, even that memory was becoming hazy as he lay there. He flexed his fingers on his wand and sat up slowly. The room was boiling hot and a wave of nausea rose in him but he battled it back down by sheer will. His head was throbbing and he felt as thought he'd been run over by the Knight Bus…which then promptly backed up over his aching body again.

He allowed himself to sit quietly for a few moments, after seeing the room was empty, to gather his bearings. The room was strange to say the least. And yet somehow it was painstakingly familiar. He tried to place it. There were large metal shelves running the length of three walls, which were piled high with what he assumed to be medical supplies. There were boxes of supplies stacked in neat piles along the fourth wall, which also housed the door. The room was dim and smelled aseptic, but there was an undertone. Something familiar - almost musty. Grimmauld Place? No, it couldn't be. He thought for a moment, his fingers absently twining in the shaggy red carpet he was settled on. He looked down and sputtered. Red shag carpet? Of course, this was Grimmauld Place! And this was his old room! He'd spent many a drunken night tangled up with one naked female body or another on this carpet. He'd know it anywhere! Sirius smiled softly to himself, allowing himself to sink into a lustful memory. He didn't notice the door open right away since he was too busy replaying some sexual conquest in his head. The woman in the doorframe noticed him right away, though. She froze with her jaw hanging agape. She let out a tiny gasp. Sirius' head snapped up and he raised his wand threateningly. He took the woman in. He allowed a small smile to form on his full lips in appreciation.

The woman was tall, with legs that looked as though they went on forever. She was barefoot, wearing muggle shorts that were _very_ short Sirius noticed at once. Her belly was flat, her chest well endowed, and they were encased in a tank top so form fitting it might as well have been painted on. She had a pretty face – full lips, a button nose, and large brown eyes. The length of her chestnut hair was piled atop her head in a messy bun. She looked almost familiar. His mind was playing tricks on him, he thought. He'd remember a knock out like that. He rose to his feet, still pointing his wand at the woman.

"I'm Sirius Black," he began in an authoritative voice.

"I know." She whispered then fainted, falling into the room roughly.

Sirius smirked, put his wand away and then went to gather the woman into his arms. "Yeah, I have that effect." He said to her silent body as he carried her out of his old room. He had carried her down the stairs intending to put her on the couch in the sitting room. Upon entering the sitting room, though, he saw that it no longer served the purpose of…well…sitting. The furniture, couch included, had been removed and replaced with several hospital beds. All occupied. There was, what Sirius assumed to be, a healer bent over one of the beds her hands on the body lying there. He cleared his throat. The healer looked up, startled, and her jaw dropped.

"Erm, hi," Sirius began. "I'm Sirius…"

"Black." The healer breathed.

"Er…yeah. I don't really know how I got here. But um, this woman, she um…" he went on raising the limp woman slightly in his arms.

He stopped when the healer fell to the ground in a dead faint.

"fainted." He finished rolling his eyes. "I'm on a roll."

Sirius laid the woman in his arms gently on the floor, checked on the healer, settling her in a more comfortable position then went to fetch some water from the kitchen.

When he reached the kitchen he immediately saw Kreacher vigorously stirring a caldron that was hanging over the fire in the hearth.

"Kreacher!" Sirius boomed happily.

Kreacher spun, then screeched. He quickly tried to make a run for it, darting past Sirius quickly. Sirius, however, was quicker and clamped a hand on Kreacher's arm.

"Alright!" he hissed at the house elf. He dropped to his knees to become level with Kreacher who was shaking violently with fear. "Now, tell me what the hell is going on. I wake up upstairs with no fucking idea how I got there. My house looks as though it has been turned into a make shift hospital, and every person I meet along the way either faints or tries to run away. I want some answers, Kreacher, and I want them now."

The house elf looked somewhat calmer and Sirius released his arm.

"M…mas…master is dead." Kreacher sputtered. "Sirius Black is dead!"

Sirius rocked back on his heels and looked at Kreacher closely. "Kreacher," he began softly. "I'm obviously not dead. We wouldn't be having this conversation if I were."

Kreacher nodded his head violently. "Yes! Sirius Black died ten years ago to the day. Evil Bellatrix killed him. She cursed him dead at the Ministry of Magic, and Sirius black floated into the Veil of the Dead. Yes, Sir, Sirius Black is as dead as a door nail."

Sirius pondered this for a moment silently. "Alright," he began rising to his feet. "I'll deal with that later. I'm here now, Kreacher, and I need some more answers. Why is my house a hospital?"

"Many perished, Sir, in the battles. The battles raged for ten years. They are just now over. Good has triumphed over evil at last. The Dark Lord is dead! Killed four nights past at the hand of Harry Potter! But the price of victory was a heavy one, Sir. We lost many allies. There are too many injured, Sir, Wizarding hospitals cannot hold them all. For those who can, they are brought to their homes to live or die."

"Harry?" Sirius asked quickly.

Kreacher hung his head. "Alive. But not for much longer, Kreacher thinks. Harry is very sick."

Sirius' head spun. "The others?"

"All of the Wesley's 'cept for the two youngest are dead. Ginny and Ron are here, but they don't open their eyes. Lupin and Tonks are dead, Sir. So is their son Teddy. Dumbledore, McGonagall, Hagrid - all dead."

Sirius turned suddenly and vomited violently in the sink.

Just then a lovely young woman with blonde hair and pale blue eyes wandered into the kitchen with a distant look in her eyes.

"Oh," she said softly with a smile. "I expect you're the reason Katie and Hermione are passed out in the ward."

Sirius looked at the woman trying to place her.

"Do I know you?" he asked.

The woman smiled lazily. "We met briefly. Right before you died. I don't expect you to remember me – dying can be a very traumatic experience. I'm Luna. Luna Lovegood."

Sirius nodded vaguely. "Hermione's alive?"

"Oh yes," Luna said nodding. "however she is passed out on the floor in the ward."

Sirius forced a smile. "I was coming for some water."

Luna nodded. "Let me take care of them. You sit down and eat something, you look like death warmed over." She said dreamily pouring water into two glasses and disappearing.

Sirius fell into a chair heavily. He cradled his head in his hands and Kreacher tentatively slid a plate of steak and kidney pie, some mash, and mixed vegetables toward him. Sirius looked up, smiled, and dug in realizing just how hungry he was.

"Ten years of not eating will make you ravenous, I presume." Came a soft voice from the doorway.

Sirius looked up to see Hermione again, leaning against the doorframe. He offered her a smile, and she returned it shakily. She stepped forward and settled down at the table across from him. Kreacher slid her a plate, and she smiled and thanked him. They ate in silence for a moment before Sirius spoke up.

"Sorry about scaring you up there,"

Hermione held up a hand. "It's alright. Bit of a startle is all." They fell into silence again

"So," Sirius said when they'd cleaned their plates. "Tell me everything."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hermione's eyes were emotionless when she finished retelling Sirius of the last ten years. Sirius held his face in his hands, a stunned silence racking him. He was unable to find any words that could possibly express a fraction of his emotions.

The Weasley's, minus Ron and Ginny, were all dead. Every last one of them had been slain at their home during a quiet family dinner celebrating Molly and Arthur's wedding anniversary. Ginny and Ron were spared due to their absence while they volunteered with Harry and Hermione at a medical camp in the field.

Dumbledore was dead by the hand of Snape, though at his own bidding as Snape was indeed a true member of The Order.

Bellatrix had murdered Professor McGonagall during a Death Eater raid on Hogwarts when they'd tried to reopen.

Both Lupin and Tonks, whom were apparently married and had a child which was news to Sirius, had died during a bloody battle at Hogwarts where Voldemort had escaped narrowly.

Hagrid had died at the hands of Voldemort himself after having suffered several days of torture for information on the where abouts of Harry.

Teddy, Lupin and Tonks son, had been kidnapped and killed during a storming of Tonks' parent's home. Tonks' parents had been murdered as well.

Draco Malfoy had given his life to save Hermione. It was discovered that he, and his family, had been acting under the Imperious Curse. When the curse was lifted Draco fled. His parents were abruptly murdered. Draco had gone with Harry, Hermione, Ginny, and Ron to fight what was to be the final battle against Voldemort. He'd flung his body over Hermione's when Voldemort had aimed a killing curse at her. Because, it was later discovered through his journal, he'd loved Hermione she became immune to Voldemort as Harry had been years before.

Both Ginny and Ron took unknown curses to their chests and were laying comatose in the sitting room down the hall. Harry and Voldemort had dueled for hours. Finally their wands locked in curses, there was an explosion of blue light – Voldemort was dead and Harry barely alive. Hermione had apparated them all back here and Harry had not woken since.

There were others in the sitting room. Lavender Brown, Cho Chang, Padma and Parvati Patil, and Zachirah Smith were all victims of the yet unknown curse that left its victim comatose.

Katie Bell was the healer Sirius had shocked into a faint earlier that evening. Luna Lovegood was also working to save those in the sitting room. Neville Longbottom, Lee Jordan, and Dean Thomas were out hunting the few remaining Death Eaters.

"But, you're all just children. You shouldn't have, I mean, it isn't fair…" Sirius grasped for words.

Hermione smiled sadly. "We were children, ten years ago when you died, Sirius. I'm pushing thirty now." She patted his hand and rose to put the dishes in the sink.

Sirius sat back. "I suppose I'm fifty or so then."

Hermione smiled at him from the sink and shook her head. "No, I don't suppose you'd age after you died. I'd say you're right at the age you were ten years ago. Fortyish?"

Sirius thought a moment and nodded. "I'd reckon you're right."

He sat silently contemplating for a minute. "And the rest of the world," he began bitterly. "went on with their merry little muggle lives I suppose."

"No, Sirius." Hermione came to him and took his hand. "Come with me."

It was strange for Sirius to be holding the hand of an obvious woman, though he remembered her only as a child. And while his mind was conflicted at this thought, he couldn't help but get a twinge of excitement in the pit of his stomach at her touch. She was, after all, a woman and it had been a very long time since Sirius Black had touched a woman. He snapped back to reality when Hermione thrust open the front door of 12 Grimmauld Place.

Devastation lay beyond the doorstep. Smoldering ruins of what used to be people's homes lay like burnt bodies. Rubble littered the streets that were stained with blood. Sirius could make out bodies buried under heavy rubble. The stench of death was strong.

"All of London?" he asked quietly.

"Gone." Hermione replied simply. "The entire world looks like this, I'd imagine. Voldemort gained worldwide supporters in the last ten years." She sighed. "About six years or so ago the Wizarding World overtook the Muggle World. We've been one in the same ever since. Muggles and Wizards fought side by side – some for good some for evil." Hermione folded her arms over her chest and leaned against the doorframe as she and Sirius took in the damage.

"How many died?"

Hermione shrugged. "It's only been four days since Voldemort died. The world needs time to access its damages. But it's easily in the millions."

Sirius looked at her. Her eyes were blank, void of any emotion. He took a deep breath and draped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his broad chest.

"Hermione," he whispered in her ear. "It's ok to _FEEL_. It's over now. And we'll figure this out. But you can't keep everything bottled up inside. You have a right to grieve too."

Hermione's throat constricted. She shook her head against him violently. "No," she whispered hoarsely. "I don't have time to 'grieve'. I've got my friends in there to worry about saving. I've got to keep it together."

"You're only human."

And Hermione broke. She began to cry softly at first, then harder until her entire body shook with violent, angry sobs. She held onto Sirius' shoulders as if her life depended on it, and she wept like the broken woman she was. Sirius wrapped his powerful arms around her as she sagged against him. Her sobs turned into wails of anguish, then to screams of rage. She battered him with her tiny fists, and he took it all, letting her scream at him, beat at him, but never letting her go. She exhausted herself eventually and simply lay limply against Sirius catching her breath. She lifted her head to look up into his face intending to thank him, but instead she pressed his lips against his fiercely. Startled, he stepped back but Hermione was quick and stepped with him never breaking contact. He responded to her kiss finally, by grabbing her chin, tilting her face higher, and deepening her kiss to dizzying heights. She wound her fingers into his mane of black hair and he dropped his hands to her tiny waist. He spun her suddenly, pressing her back to the wall. She groaned into him, pulled herself up, and wrapped her legs around his hips. Sirius slid his hands down over her backside and held her up against himself, kissing her passionately. He wanted her, that was obvious from the growing bulge in his pants and Hermione had no objections. She tore away from his lips and blazed a trail of hot wet kisses down his throat. He moaned and pressed his hips forward against her.

Suddenly, though, he remembered little Hermione. Bushy hair, teeth too big for her tiny face, smiling up at him, Hermione. He pulled away from the grown Hermione who was busy gobbling him up and took a shaky breath.

"Hermione, we can't, I mean, I want to, but we can't."

Hermione blew her hair off her forehead. "I know. I'm sorry. But I am not a little girl anymore. And I am by no means a virgin."

Sirius smiled. "I know you're no little girl, trust me on that. But it just…well…it's not right. I don't think," he trailed off.

Hermione offered him a smile and nodded. "It's alright. Come on," she said brushing past him. "I'll take you to see Harry."


	2. Chapter 2 Relax

Sirius leaned over Harry and brushed his hair back they way he would to a child. "Hey ya, Harry." He whispered. "I'm here. I came back to take care of you. I'm sorry I was away for so long, but you got to pull yourself out of this. We've got a lot to talk about. Starting with," he cast a sidelong glance at Hermione who was bending over Ginny with Katie. "the little minx your friend Hermione has become. She's something else, a real knock out. And I want to hear all about your quest against Voldemort. And all our friends. And what you had for breakfast last week." Sirius choked up. "Harry please wake up, I need you."

OOooOO  
Sirius stayed with Harry well into the night chatting away at him as if they were having a two-sided in depth conversation. Around midnight the front door slammed open and Sirius drew his wand instinctively. A man in a long cloak entered the sitting room and immediately put up his hands.

"Identify yourself!" Sirius bellowed.

The intruder peered at Sirius silently for a moment before dropping his hands, a grin spreading across his face. "Well I'll be a bloody monkey's uncle! It's God Damn Sirius Black!"

Sirius peered at the stranger and lowered his wand slowly. Hermione came up out of nowhere from behind the stranger and tackled him in a giant hug.

"Neville!" she cried holding fast to his neck.

"My 'Mione! How is one of the most beautiful women in the world?" he laughed swinging her around.

"Wonderful, now that you're here!" she cried, kissing him full on the lips.

Sirius felt a twinge of jealousy, but he shook it off immediately and scolded himself for it.

"Hi, Neville." Sirius offered.

Neville set Hermione down, who was beaming at him, strode across the room and took Sirius' hand, shaking it heartily. "How the hell are ya, old man?" Neville boomed, clapping Sirius on the back.

Sirius flinched at being called old, but he forced a smile and clapped Neville back in greeting. "Alright, boy. Yourself?"

"Never been better! Bellatrix is dead, all is right in the world. Or what's left of it!" he laughed easily, dropping his traveling cloak to the ground.

"You killed Bella?" Hermione squealed behind him.

Neville turned to her and grinned. "Sure did! Avada'ed her wicked ass!"

Sirius smiled. "Bet that has something to do with how I got back here."

"I betcha!" Neville laughed, and fell to his knees at Harry's bedside. "Did ya hear that, Harry? Bella's dead and gone! Took care of her for you. Now you just gotta wake up so we can get good and drunk to celebrate."

OOooOO

Sirius fell into a monotonous routine in the following weeks at Grimmauld. He spent his days helping Hermione, Katie, and Luna with the injured, his evenings doing search and rescue in what was left of London with Neville, and his nights split between sitting with Harry or dozing in his room down the hall. Hermione had offered to give him back his old room, but he'd refused, opting instead for a smaller guestroom down the hall from Harry. Katie and Hermione constantly fussed over him, insisting that he never had neither enough food nor sleep. Luna just watched him dreamily, offering a lazy apologetic smile whenever Katie and Hermione were busy nagging over him. Neville was always animated and kind, helping wherever he was needed without hesitation. One night, when Katie was riding Sirius particularly hard about not getting enough sleep, Neville stepped in.

"Katie," Neville boomed with laughter and took her arm. "There's a phrase that says 'there'll be plenty of time to sleep when you die.' Sirius has had ten years of rest, lay off him, he'll sleep when he's tired."

"But," Katie began to protest though Neville had led her to the sitting room doorway already.

"No buts, Kate, _you_ go to bed. _You_ look like hell. Go on, get! Sirius and I can handle things." He gave her a swift slap to her arse, and with a sigh, Katie disappeared up the stairs.

Neville laughed and turned to face Sirius. He conjured a bottle of fire whiskey and two glasses. He poured himself a tall glass then handed a glass and the bottle to Sirius.

"You slapped her rump!" Sirius laughed pouring himself a drink.

Neville shrugged. "She's my girl. Therefore in theory that's my rump."

Sirius nodded appreciatively. "Nice choice."

Neville smirked, took the bottle from Sirius and poured himself another glass of fire whiskey. Sirius followed suit. Their drinking continued into the night. By the time Hermione came down to the kitchen for a drink around four in the morning the two boys had gone through nearly five bottles of whiskey and were singing loudly, slumped over the table. They saw Hermione and broke into a round of raucous laughter. Hermione paused, observing the empty bottles of whiskey, folded her arms across her chest, and rolled her eyes. After enduring their cat calls for a few minutes while she scowled at them, she got her glass of water, turned on her heel, and stormed back up the stairs. She returned momentarily by a bleary eyed Katie.

"Ut-oh." Neville said quickly and Sirius laughed.

The veil left Katie's eyes quickly, being replaced by angry recognition. She folded her arms in a Hermione like stance. "Just what do you think you're doing?"

Neville paused in mock thought, then answered. "Getting drunk."

"Well," Katie snapped. "You've already done a fine job of that I'd say."

Neville nodded with a grin. "Indeed, Sirius dear friend, I dare say that we are a complete success."

Sirius nodded.

"What were you thinking?" Katie cried suddenly. "Letting yourselves get drunk and lose your wits. What if we were attacked?"

"Katie," Neville began, rising rather sloppily. "The war is over."

"Have you looked outside?" she screamed back at him. "That could have been us! Those bodies could have been ours! There are still Death Eaters, Neville!"

Neville caught hold of the flailing Katie and pulled her against his chest. "But it wasn't us, Katie. This house is so well protected it may well be the only one left standing in London. No Death Eater got in her during the war, and none will enter now. You are safe. WE are safe. And our friends down the hall are safe. Yes, they neither live nor die but they are here. And we will find a way to save them. Let go of your fear, my love, Voldemort is dead and we are rebuilding."

Sirius was moved by Neville's impassioned speech. This was a man that Sirius would have never envisioned the clumsy, shy teenager he knew to have grown into. And it seemed Katie had calmed too, for she had stopped fighting him, and was now clutching to him. Hermione relaxed her demeanor slightly too.

"So," Neville began after a moment's silence with a wicked grin on his face. "What say you to heading upstairs and doing our civic duty by trying to repopulate the planet?"

Katie giggled. "Well, if it's our civic duty."

Neville saluted Sirius with a wink, turned on his heel, gave Katie's rump a sharp slap, and followed her out of the room.

Sirius grinned from ear to ear, booming with laughter. "Your ally gave in, 'Mione. Me thinks it's time for you to relax a bit."

Hermione allowed a smile to cross her face briefly. "Relax, hmm?" She crossed the stone floor towards Sirius to stand before him. He met her eyes and gave her a nervous smile, unsure of what the hell she was about to do. Without further hesitation Hermione hooked the bottom of her tee shirt and flipped it up over her head, discarding it to the floor. Sirius drank in the black lace of her bra. She turned to the side, showing her profile to Sirius, then bent forward and slowly slid her shorts down her long legs, allowing them to pool at her feet. Sirius raised an eyebrow at her lacy black panties. She took a step forward, placing a hand on either of Sirius' shoulders and leaned down to whisper in his ear.

"Relax, you say?" she breathed. She lightly bit his ear lobe.

Sirius gripped her bare waist, shifted his hips forward in the chair, licked his lips and nodded.

"Mmm, I think you're right." She whispered kissing the side of his neck fleetingly. "How do you suggest I blow off some steam?"

Sirius grinned. "You can do anything you want."

"Good," she raked her nails down his chest, down into his lap, pausing at his upper thigh. "I think I'm going to take a bath. Goodnight!" she said suddenly laughing. She picked up her clothes off the floor, flipped him the bird over her shoulder, and bounded up the stairs laughing.

Sirius sat with him mouth agape, his heart pounding madly. He growled to himself as he righted his bottom in the chair and ran a hand through his hair. Then he allowed himself to smile. "Let the games begin." He said to no one in particular.


	3. Chapter 3 Swaddled

(A/N: The Chloë timeline is a little bit tricky, you'll get it after you read, and I will include a timeline for you at the end of the chapter in another a/n)

OoOoOoOoO

The next morning dawned exceptionally bright as Hermione poured over an obscure spells book trying desperately to find the spell that had rendered so many of her friends unconscious. She lifted her chin and snickered to hear Neville and Sirius' groans coming from the kitchen. She shook her head and returned to her reading only to be interrupted a few minutes later by a set of timid and very hung over men. Hermione looked up and raised and eyebrow at the set, stifling a giggle.

"'Mione?" Neville began softly, rubbing his temples. "Um, do you have any of your hangover potion left?"

She shook her head slowly. "No, I don't Neville. But I could give you the muggle method. Sit down, the both of you." Hermione grinned inwardly as she hurried up the stairs to the supply room to gather up the supplies to start two IV's. She came back down, practically flying down the stairs and approached Sirius first. "Give me your arm." She instructed. Sirius gave her a confused look but extended his arm to her. In a flash she tied the tourniquet around his arm and was palpating for his vein.

"What in the bloody hell are you doing, woman?" Sirius chuckled.

"Nothing." Hermione said swiping his arm quickly with rubbing alcohol. She picked up her needle, uncapped it, and turned toward him.

"What the hell?!" Sirius cried, scrambling back so fast he tipped his chair over. Without missing a beat Hermione crawled after him, sitting upon his waist.

"Sit still, ya big baby." She laughed. Sirius squirmed underneath her flailing his bound arm about violently. "NO NO NO!" he yelped. Hermione pulled out her wand, immobilized Sirius and jammed the large needle into his vein. He squealed like a dying pig. Hermione hooked the rest of the tubing and bag up to him before she released the spell off of him and helped him settle back in his chair. He furrowed his brow and glared at her while he gingerly caressed his wounded arm.

"Stop touching it." Hermione snapped going toward Neville. Without hesitation Neville rolled his sleeve up and Hermione stuck him without so much as a flinch from him. He laughed looking over at Sirius who was still gently poking at his puncture. Hermione taped down Neville's lines and smiled sweetly at him. She finished, threw Sirius an annoyed glance, and settled back into her book. They sat quietly for a few moments before the house was violated by a shrill screech.

"HERMIONE!"

Hermione rocketed herself out of her chair and ran at full sped toward the sitting room where the scream had erupted from. The scene in the room was complete chaos. Katie and Luna were rushing from bed to bed where all of the occupants were violently seizing. Katie and Luna were using every medical spell they could think of to stop the seizing. Hermione, who had recently taken to muggle medical standards, rushed to grab a tray off one of the shelves in the room. Just then, Sirius and Neville managed to awkwardly run into the room with their tubing wrapped about themselves. Upon seeing the scene before them, Sirius didn't hesitate to reach down and rip out the catheter threaded into his vein with vengeance. He grabbed a nearby roll of gauze, sloppily wrapped his profusely bleeding wound, and rushed to help. Neville followed suit.

"Hold him down!" Hermione yelled to Sirius, motioning at Harry. Sirius rushed forward and practically laid himself atop Harry to control some of the violent quaking while Hermione found a vein and plunged a syringe deep into Harry's arm. The seizing stopped almost immediately. Hermione moved onto Ron, Sirius following. Luna, Katie, and Neville took some syringes from Hermione and began administering the medicine. Hermione moved to Ginny last. Sirius held her tiny body down as gently and eloquently as he could, so Hermione could find a vein and plunge the drug into her bloodstream. Almost at the exact moment Hermione pulled the needle out of Ginny's arm, Ginny's eyes flew open. No one noticed though, as they slumped on the bench in the corner facing the other way. They were shaken and exhausted both physically and mentally. Hermione held her face in her hands and her shoulders began to shake in a quiet sob. Sirius quietly draped a casual arm around her shoulders and rested his cheek on the top of her head. Her hair smelled wonderful, he thought guiltily. He inhaled the milk and honey scent greedily finding solace in the peaceful moment.

Sirius had never seen anything like that, and it had scared him to death and back – again. He'd almost lost his lunch when he walked into that room to see his god son's body being thrown about by the invisible perpetrator. The sheer terror on Katie and Luna's face had led him to rip that needle he'd been so afraid of moments before out without a second thought. But Hermione had remained calm under the serious pressure, and he found that attractive. Acting the way she had, may very well have saved the lives of those he cared so much about. She was a complete package, he thought, as he inhaled deeply. Smart, sexy, assertive, witty. Hermione had grown into a woman that Sirius would have fallen head over heels for in his hay day. But that wasn't right, was it? This woman in his arms, the women he recalled only as a child, his god son's best friend – was she the woman for Sirius? He smiled inwardly at his silliness. Of course not. This was Hermione Granger and he was Sirius Black. No two people more opposite existed in this small world and Hermione would never go for a man like him. Though, she had been the one to kiss _him_…

His thoughts were interrupted by a small sigh behind him. He slowly lifted his head, and turned to look back towards the bed. No one else had heard it. Ginny Weasley's head was turned toward him, her eyes wide and glassy. She squinted at him for a moment before smiling.

"Ginny…?" He breathed.

Hermione's head snapped around. "Ginny! Oh, Ginny!" she cried leaping to her feet and lunging toward her friend.

"Hey, Herm," Ginny breathed as Hermione enveloped her into her shaking arms. "Is that Sirius? He's quite the dish now, hmmm?"

Hermione giggled softly and pressed her lips against Ginny's forehead, then cradled her freckled face softly in her hands. "Are you ok?"

Ginny nodded slowly. "I think so."

Sirius strode over to the tiny red head, ruffled her already snarled hair and grinned. "Why hello there, mon petite pixie. It's been some time. Can you walk? I bet you're ravenous."

Ginny looked up at the ruggedly handsome man before her and gave him a lopsided grin. "I probably can walk, yeah. And I am starving, but only if they're serving you for dessert." She laughed sitting up and swinging her feet to the ground. "Because God Damn, Sirius Black, death did you well!"

Sirius roared with laughter and offered her his arm as she stood up shakily. She took it and he began leading her slowly past the laughing faces of Luna, Katie, Neville, and Hermione. "My dear, you can eat me until dawn if that is your heart's desire. You won't hear one complaint out of this old man."

"So," Hermione began as she watched Ginny hungrily gobble down the plate of food in front of her. "Can you tell me anything about the curse that hit you? Did you hear the incantation? Did you feel anything strange for a hex?"

Ginny looked up thoughtfully, and nodded. "I didn't hear the words, but it was definitely strange."

Hermione leaned forward, silently encouraging her to continue. Sirius tilted his head gently.

"Well, it's going to sound strange." Ginny began slowly as she pushed her plate away. "It wasn't half bad, the hex I mean. I remember standing there and then there was the power that just slammed into my chest. It knocked the wind out of me, and I fell down, trying to catch my breath. But then I started feel warm. Not hot, but warm, and safe – almost. And the warmth just kept growing sort of and then it got kind of soft," Ginny trailed off, struggling to find the correct words.

Luna sat forward a bit. "Soft?" she trilled dreamily.

Ginny nodded and thought for a moment. She smiled suddenly. "You know when you do a bit of laundry,"

Sirius raised an eyebrow, cutting her off. "Laundry?"

Ginny sighed. "Shut up, Cookie."

"Cookie?" Sirius asked, then laughed. "Ah, yes, dessert. Go on mon petite pixie." He finished with an elaborate wave of his hand.

"Anyway," Ginny picked up again. "You know when you take the clothes out of the tumbler and they're warm and soft? Well it was sort of like that. Like a giant fuzzy blanket was wrapping you up. It was actually quite pleasant. And there is no real sense of time. It was like I always felt like I was just about to drop off to sleep. Honestly, I began to forget who I was and what had happened and I was just so content in my warm little cocoon. Sometimes I could hear you all talking to me, but you sounded so far away, and I was so warm and comfortable, I just sort of tuned you out. But then today I heard Luna talking to me, and I decided to try and listen just for a bit and I wanted to open my eyes. I began to remember everything and I struggled and fought with that warmth and it began to almost suffocate me. Then something jabbed me in the arm and I got really scared and flailed against the warmth, and finally it just sort of let me go and I opened my eyes. It was like, I dunno, it lulls you into a false sense of security. And as long as you're satisfied in its embrace it'll keep you warm and happy. I think that you really need to WANT to leave it. And let me tell you – its case is pretty convincing to keep you there."

Hermione sat back flabbergasted. What in the hell was the curse, and how could they snap everyone out of it? No one else had responded like Ginny to the needles.

"I think I've heard of this curse in passing." Sirius said slowly. "If I'm not mistaken, it's a very old curse, used by the ancients, and it's a psychological curse. I can't remember the exact name, but it had something to do with wrapping, or swaddling, or something. And if it is the one that I am thinking of, it can't be broken except by making the comatose WANT to fight against it. This, as we have obviously discovered, is not walk in the park."

"And if we can't?" Katie asked quietly.

"Then I believe, their mind will shut down and take their body with it." Sirius finished in almost a whisper.

Hermione shuddered and turned away slightly. Ginny stood.

"Well alright, let's go, Cookie."

Sirius gazed up at her.

"We've got some people to wake up, and Harry's gonna respond to you a whole lot faster than me."

The crew, now plus Ginny, spent the next two days begging each and every sleeping form to wake up. Near the end of the second day, everyone was running low on energy and faith. Ginny let out and exasperated sigh and wandered over to Ron's bedside. She cupped his cheek gently and smiled down at his peaceful form. "I'm going to try something now, please don't be alarmed, or try and stop me. I have not lost it, nor and I losing it." She announced suddenly. And as if she were playing baseball, her being the bat and Ron being the ball, she lifted her arm and slapped Ron's face with a fury that stunned the room.

"WAKE UP!" she screamed at his form. She seized his shoulders and violently shook him. "Wake the fuck up, you bloody asshole!" she hissed into his ear. "I'm so fucking tired of being alone! Get your ass up, you good for nothing glob! God damnit, Ronald Fucking Weasley, WAAAAAAKE UP!" she screeched angrily, continuing to shake his shoulders brutally.

Sirius moved to step forward, but Hermione stopped him softly as she watched.

"Blood...y…he…ll…would..y…ou…kno..ck…it…off!" came Ron's voice, interrupted each time his head slammed into his pillow.

Ginny's mouth dropped and she collapsed in a sobbing heap atop Ron. With a very confused look plastered to his face he gently hugged his sister and patted her back softly. When Ginny drew back Hermione snaked her body up his from the bottom of his bed and rained kisses down all over his face. Her tears soaked his face as she kissed him over and over, her lips meeting his more than once. Sirius averted his eyes.

"Oh, Ronald," she sobbed freely.

"What the bloody hell is going on?" Ron asked as Hermione nestled her face into the crook of his neck and he wrapped his arms around her waist protectively. "Where am I? What's happened? Where's Harry? Is Voldemort dead? Is that fucking Sirius Black?"

Neville boomed with laughter and stepped forward to peel Hermione off Ron. He lifted her off and settled her back onto her feet. "No, mate, you're not dead. And neither is Sirius anymore. Voldemort's dead though, yeah. Harry's alive but he's stuck in a coma."

After Ron had hugged everyone properly, some more than once, he was hustled off to the kitchen to be filled in and fed. Sirius excused himself quietly as Ron was explaining the warm blanket he'd been so wrapped up in during the curse. He stepped out the back door into the gardens he'd grown up in as a child and lit a cigarette eloquently before settling down beneath a large weeping willow. So, Hermione and Ron he thought. He chuckled to himself with his ignorance of not seeing it earlier. He drew deeply on his cigarette and blew small circles of smoke into the arm. An old man like him had no business of even entertaining the idea of a lovely woman like Hermione. You're only forty, his illogical side argued. Yes, but I should be fifty, you old cod, the logical side chastised. Sirius chuckled again to himself and drew on his cigarette deeply. It doesn't matter, Sirius thought with a sight. She already has a man in her life. Ronald, a boy no more, had been here through her hardest and most trying times. He hadn't hid in a veil during the bloodiest war the world had ever seen. He'd fought by her side. He deserves her. But she looks like quite the minx is those lacy knickers, Sirius thought wickedly. He allowed himself, with a secret smile, to fall gently into his memories of Hermione – including the time she kissed him with everything she had in her.

"Looking like quite the Cheshire, aren't we?"

Sirius was startled back into the here and now by the voice of Hermione. He looked up at her and softly smiled. "May I?" she asked indicating the ground next to him.

"But of course, mon amour."

Hermione smiled and settled down next to him. "Do you speak French to all the women you meet?"

Sirius shrugged and tossed his cigarette away. "Only the beautiful ones."

Hermione's cheeks tinged the palest pink.

"Tell me about the veil." Hermione requested quietly. She shifted her body to lean into Sirius and he automatically draped an arm over her. "Your lover is not going to like this scene should he stumble upon it." He commented casually.

"My lover?" Hermione laughed lightly. "I have no lover. I'm flying solo."

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "Really? You looked rather romantic with Ron."

Hermione smiled. "Ron's really a very good friend. And I'll even admit we had a bit of a fling some years ago, but we're really better off as friends. Besides Ron's married. Well he was. I mean he is, still, technically, I guess. "

Sirius cocked his head.

"Four years ago we came into contact with a witch from America named Chloë. She was an avid fighter and had come to London to be at the epicenter. She was a lovely girl and Ron was quite taken with her immediately and she with him. They danced around it for almost a year with the war going on and all, but finally they were married here at Grimmauld three years ago, almost to the day. A year and a half later they found out she was just about month pregnant. It was sort of a mixed emotion pregnancy. No one wanted to bring a baby into this. But what was done was done and Grimmauld was safe, so as the months began to pass they became more and more excited. Chloë stopped fighting on the front lines and started holding down everything here behind the scenes. We all left on a small mission right at the beginning of her seventh month. It was only a couple of days, but when we came back she was gone. No one knows anything it's like she just vanished. It was really very strange and sad. So if she is alive somewhere, Ron's got a baby who's turning one sometime this month."

Sirius was speechless. How tragic. He tried to wrap his mind around the pain Ron was suffering but he just couldn't fathom it. He'd take life in Azkaban before he'd ever take Ron's path.

"So, the veil?" Hermione cut into his thoughts.

"Oh yes, well, it was…odd. I guess that would be the best way to describe it. It was very dark, but I couldn't see. And very quiet, though I couldn't hear. It was thick and thin at the same time and I was just sort of floating along. I don't know how long I was in there; it seemed forever and just a moment. And then I felt this pulling sensation, like I was being sucked down a drain almost. I opened my eyes and I was here."

It was Hermione's turn to contemplate. She was having a bit of difficulty wrapping her understanding around Sirius' explanations. It was _this_ but not entirely because it was also _that_. Frankly it gave her a headache. She gave up her quest for understanding and turned her chin slightly upwards to take in the face of Sirius Black. He was handsome beyond words, Hermione decided. The way his dark locks would fall over his stormy gray eyes to make him look dangerous and sexy. The way his jaw muscles would flex and twinge lightly when he was concentrating as he was now. The way his brow would furrow every so slightly when he was surprised or amused. The faint crinkles around his eyes that told the story of his laughter and joy. The shallow lines that creased his brow from the many years of pain, worry, and sorrow. The childish way his full bottom lip would shift forward ever so slightly when he didn't get what he wanted. Hermione laughed inwardly at her flirtatious observations. She did, however, allow he eyes to slide down from his face to his broad shoulders, over his toned chest, to his muscular stomach where she forced her eyes to roam no lower. Sirius pulled his arm from around her softly, stretched lazily, and flopped roguishly back on to the grass, giving her an inviting smile. Hermione flipped onto her stomach and lay net to him, one arm gently splayed across his powerful chest. Sirius wound a finger into her long tresses and twirled it absently as his other hand grazed up and down Hermione's bare arm. He shifted his body to his hip and propped himself up with one arm, his face inches from hers. They laid like that for a long moment; Sirius' storm colored eyes basking in the warmth of her honey colored iris'. Very slowly he reached to cup her face in his free hand and stroke her cheek lightly with his thumb. Hermione reveled in the coarse feeling his thumb made across his soft skin.

"Sirius," she breathed softly.

Getting the conformation he needed, he leaned in and brushed his lips against hers in a feathery soft kiss. Hermione closed her eyes and moaned ever so gently in the back of her throat when the contact broke. That soft moan nearly killed Sirius, he was moments from taking her on the grass then and there. Hermione extended her neck, her eyes closed, her lips looking for their mate, that had so briefly tickled them, once more. Sirius smiled and gave in a bit pressing his lips against hers again a touch more firmly. He could tell Hermione was going mad with desire. He pulled back quickly with a smile. Again a low growl came from Hermione at the loss of contact, and again Sirius had to stop himself from ripping her clothes off and having his way with her in his garden. He leaned forward again and very gently nipped at the Hermione's bottom lip before sitting back. Hermione let out a long contented sigh, and blindly brought her hand to his cheek lovingly.

"If you don't kiss me, and I mean really kiss me, Sirius Black, I'm going to be forced to rape you." Hermione whispered without opening her eyes.

Sirius chuckled quietly. "If you insist." He leaned in again and just as he was about to press his lips to hers with fervor, he heard Ginny.

"COOKIE!" she called from the back door. He heard the door slam and the sound of tiny bare feet in search for him. He laughed and leaned back a bit, Hermione growled, balled her hands into fists, and let out a long breath.

"Cookie! There you…" Ginny cried coming around the bend in the garden and stopping upon seeing Hermione. Ginny looked between the two for a moment before breaking into a wide smile. "Hermione Jean Granger," Ginny laughed. "Have you been dipping into my dessert?"

Sirius howled with laughter and Hermione rolled her eyes.

"What can I do for you, mon petite pixie?" Sirius drawled.

"Both of you," Ginny laughed. "Come with me, I want you to see something."

Ginny led them back to the house, teasing them the entire way. Sirius laughed and Hermione huffed all the way up the back steps and into the kitchen where they abruptly froze.

At the kitchen table, settled between Ron and Luna, sat a very bleary eyed Harry James Potter.

Harry cocked his head to the side. "Sirius?"

(A/N Time line: Sirius fell into the veil in 2005. In August 2011 Chloë arrives. July 2012 Ron and Chloë are married. December 2013 Chloë is pregnant. January 2014 they officially find out and announce the impending baby. In June 2014 Chloë disappears. It is currently August 2015. I hope that helps!)


	4. Chapter 4 Cry

Sirius and Harry stared at each other unblinking for a long moment; neither of them believing what they were seeing. The room was silent as they waited with baited breath to witness this monumental reunion. Hermione stood wide eyed with her fingers over her lips, clasping Ginny's hand tightly in her own free one. It was Harry who made the first move, standing up on his shaky legs abruptly. He moved as quickly as his shocked legs could carry him to stand before Sirius. Haltingly he lifted his arm and allowed his fingertips to brush across Sirius' cheek. Tears began to well up in Harry's eyes as he took in the sight of his previously departed god father standing before him. Sirius appeared to be choked up himself, as a stray tear drop coursed its way down his stubbled check. It was Sirius that finally reached out and pulled Harry gruffly into his arms. Harry's arms snapped automatically around the older man's midriff as they hugged fiercely. Sirius pulled away and grasped Harry's face in his hands, allowing the tears to roll freely down his face.

"I thought I'd never see you again." He whispered.

Hermione tugged gently on Ginny indicating that they should leave the two alone. Ginny nodded, signaled to the others, and exited the room with Hermione. Once the large group had made it quietly into a small office down the hall, Hermione exploded.

"What happened? How did he come 'round?!" she exclaimed.

"I don't know, I was just talking to him and he started shaking his head. So," Ron explained as he ran a hand through his fiery crop. "I shook him. A bit harder than I should have, maybe, but you know I was mad. And then before I knew it he opened his eyes and asked where he was and what had happened."

Hermione was grinning insanely.

Luna flopped down into a chair and smiled serenely at the group. "Isn't it nice? Everyone waking up and such, I mean. I'm just having a ball with all this."

Ginny smiled sweetly at Luna and Ron sniggered. Luna simply shrugged and her gaze shifted to unfocused as her mind departed into its reality as it usually did.

"So, you shook Harry then, Ron?" Hermione began slowly. Ron nodded. "Then," Hermione went on thoughtfully. "violence seems to be part of the answer."

Ginny shrugged. "I beat the bloody hell out of Harry yesterday and I got nothing."

The room dipped back into thoughtful silence.

"'MIONE! 'MIONE!" Harry's voice boomed through the house moments later.

With a grin Hermione stepped into the hallway. Harry came around the bend at the other end at the same moment and upon seeing her, broke into a run. Hermione matched his pace and they collided in the middle, a jumble of arms and legs and shouts of joy. When the blur cleared Hermione was wrapped tightly around Harry, her ankles locked behind his back, her arms snaked around his neck, and her face buried in his collar bone, while her body vibrated with laughter. Harry held fast around her waist with his own face buried in her honey colored ocean of hair that danced around her shoulders.

Sirius strode into the library through the back door and took a peek out into the hallway at the pair. He smiled lightly and ducked back into the library to see Ginny glowering quietly on the sofa. Before he had a chance to question the little red head, Harry strode into the library holding Hermione by the hand; whom looked ready to burst with pure joy. She grabbed Ron's hand as they passed by and the trio made their way toward the French doors that opened to the gardens. Night was just beginning to fall, twilight boldly painting the sky in bold blues, reds, purples, and oranges.

"Apparently," Ron laughed as he was dragged into the dusk. "we need a moment."

As that moment turned into a few, then into an hour, then two, Ginny dejectedly began cooking dinner for the rapidly growing household. She was quite nosily slamming around pots and pans when Sirius came in to offer his assistance.

"Mon petite pixie," he began, quickly dodging a renegade flying pot. "what ever is the matter with you?"

Ginny twisted to face him with a half smile and a shrug. She turned back to peeling potatoes and Sirius stepped forward toward her. He picked up a knife and a potato and began to peel with her silently. Before long, through the open window above the sink, Sirius heard the reason for Ginny's anger. Floating in on the warm night's breeze was the indistinguishable chatter of the golden trio supplemented by little shrieks from Hermione and deep laughter from both Harry and Ron.

"Oh," Sirius said quietly. "Is my tiny fairy green with jealously?"

Ginny looked up at him slowly. "I'm not jealous in the context you're thinking."

Sirius nodded, picking up another potato. "And pray tell what is it that I am thinking?"

"That I'm jealous of Hermione and Harry." Ginny offered as she began to chop the potatoes she had peeled.

"Hmm," Sirius said, nodding. "Maybe. But I think you're a bit more jealous of being left out of 'The Golden Trio'."

Ginny stopped chopping. She shrugged and lifted her chin proudly to gaze out the window at the night sky. "I love Hermione, Sirius. I do. But she gets everything. Harry worships the ground she walks on. Ron thinks she can do no wrong. She's smarter, funnier, and prettier than me. She went away to battle with Harry after he dumped me at Dumbledore's funeral. He didn't think I could handle fighting, but Hermione could. She just always wins."

"Ah," Sirius said, wiping his hands on the front of his pants and turning Ginny toward him gently. "Mon petite pixie, Harry and Ron love you just as much. Granted, it may not in the same way, but just as much. You are a clever, intelligent, witty, silly, sexy witch. You possess just as much strength and cunningness as Hermione if not more. You are my favorite little pixie, and I love you very much. I'm sorry that you feel like you've been trampled on, looked over, and passed by. But as long as I'm around, I promise I'll love you and I will never underestimate you."

Ginny let out a long sigh, turned her green eyes away, and smiled. After a moment she brought her eyes back to his and raised ever so slowly to her tip toes before she pressed her lips against his briefly. Sirius didn't pull away, but didn't immediately respond. She pulled back, lowered herself back down, and took a deep breath. "You see what I mean?" she laughed softly as she moved toward the door. "Hermione also has you."

Ginny disappeared out the door, and Sirius heard the front door slam before he dared to breathe again.

OoOoOoO

A few days passed uneventfully in the household after that. Sirius had no more rendezvous' with Hermione and he had successfully avoided being left alone in a room with Ginny. He was by no means unpleasant toward either witch, but he withdrew into himself a bit; spending more time either locked up in his room or with Harry.

It was a cool evening nearing the end of August and Sirius was settled next to Harry on the back porch. He swirled the ice in his glass of fire whiskey and he rocked gently in his chair. Harry sat quietly nursing a butter beer and staring off into the rapidly darkening horizon.

"So," Harry began with a quick swig off his bottle. "I've seen the looks between you and Hermione."

Sirius raised an eyebrow but remained silent as he took a long gulp of his amber liquid.

"And I've noticed you and Ginny going out of your way to avoid each other."

Sirius let out a long sigh.

"This leads me to believe things." Harry chuckled easily. "You know that Ginny and I were an item at one time, but did you know that Hermione and I had a bit of a fling?"

Sirius tilted his head toward Harry, who met his eyes and nodded. "Oh yes, Hermione and I got together shortly after Ron married Chloë. We lasted nearly a year too, but things just didn't work you know? We never told anyone."

Sirius cleared his throat softly. "Harry, why are you telling me?" he asked, dreading the answer.

But Harry only shrugged and drained his butter beer down. "I will always love both Hermione and Ginny dearly. And I am telling you this because you need to be a bit more careful."

Sirius leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees, his face in his hands. "Careful?" he questioned from between his finger.

"Mmm," Harry hummed quietly. "With their hearts. I'm afraid I've broken them pretty badly and I'd hate to see their mending jobs come crashing down."

Sirius smiled into his hands. "The funny thing is, I never considered Ginny. She came on to me. It shocked me, and I didn't do anything but stand there. After that, she's avoided me at all costs."

Harry grinned at the image of the suave Sirius Black rendered useless by Ginny. "Sirius Black didn't sweep his tiny pixie off her feet?" Harry laughed.

Sirius chuckled and sat back shaking his head.

Harry smiled over at Sirius. "All I'm saying is be up front with the girls. Let them know your intentions."

Sirius smiled back sadly and drained his glass. "The thing is, I don't even know my intentions." He was silent for a moment and then turned serious. "Harry, do you have feelings for Hermione?"

Harry met Sirius' gaze. "I will always love Hermione. But we were not meant to be together romantically. I have come to terms with that, as has she, and we wish each other only the greatest happiness in our future relationships."

"That sounds rehearsed, Harry."

"It wasn't a pretty parting of ways, Sirius."

Sirius nodded. "And what of Ginny?"

Harry thought for a moment. "Unless you intend to marry Ginny, keep your hands off her."

Sirius sat back stunned, but recovered quickly, and gave Harry a sincere grin. "You have my word."

Harry nodded in acknowledgement.

"Going in back after her, then?"

"I never fell out of love with her. But I wronged her deeply and it will take a lot of work to win her back."

"Best of luck on that, mate. She's a feisty stubborn little thing, that one is."

Harry laughed.

That sat quietly for a moment before they were disturbed by shouts and the sounds of running in the house. They rocketed out of the chairs with wands drawn, and stormed into the house.

"MOVE!" Hermione yelled shoving a gaping Ron out of the way. The group of survivors were gathered in the sitting room watching the disturbing scene unfold. Padma and Parvati Patil were seizing violently. Their backs arched grotesquely as saliva bubbled at the corners of their lips. The muggle monitors Hermione had insisted on hooking up to monitor the comatose were shrilly screaming in beeps and blips, forecasting impending doom. Hermione reached Padma first and plunged a dose of anti seizure medication into her vein. It seemed to have no effect as Padma continued to shudder brutally, her body slamming over and over against the mattress. Hermione, shocked, hurried to force a dose into Parvati's bloodstream. Again, there was no effect. The monitors screeched louder still. Hermione looked helplessly toward Sirius. He snapped out of his shocked state and hurried forward.

"Can you dose them again?" he yelled over the screeching.

Hermione nodded weakly and went to the shelves to pull another drug out. This time Sirius held onto the shuddering girls as best he could to allow Hermione easier access to their veins. Again the drugs had no effect. Katie and Luna were muttering spells and incantations over the flailing bodies to no effect.

"We're going to have to let them ride it out!" Katie yelled over the monitors as tears spilled down her face. Neville wrapped a protective arm around her waist and she buried her sobbing face against his shoulder. Neville watched on in horror. Ron turned away from the brutal scene and vomited in the nearest trash basket. Luna moved toward Ron and pressed a cool cloth against his forehead as she allowed silent tears to slide down her pale cheeks. Ginny turned suddenly, her face crumpled and she ran into Harry's strong arms. Hermione stood bone still next to Sirius her body shivering. She watched the monitor screens in silent terror as the heart rates continued to climb. The electronic equipment screeched viciously, reaching an almost crescendo of beeps, blips, and alarm bells.

"Turn the fucking things off!" Harry yelled over the noise. Hermione glanced back at him as he held a shuddering Ginny in his arms. She moved forward slowly toward the seizing girls. As suddenly as it all started, it ended. The bodies stopped quaking and the monitors stopped screaming in angry beeps, instead replaced with a continuous monotonous bleep that was accompanied by a straight line on the screen. Everyone in the room froze.

"Hermione, what does that mean?" Sirius asked quietly.

Hermione's hand went to her lips in horror. "It means their hearts have stopped." She whispered.

The room erupted into activity then, each person trying to whatever they could to get the Patil sister's hearts beating again. In the end, all their efforts proved useless and Padma and Parvati Patil slipped quietly into the great beyond.

The mood in Grimmauld was somber that next day as the occupants rose and prepared for the impending funeral. Hermione was up first and dressed in gray slacks and a simple white blouse in preparation to apparate to Diagon Alley to begin arrangements for the Patil sisters. She leaned against the counter in the kitchen sipping the tea that Kreacher had prepared from her slowly. Sirius stepped in the kitchen, pausing briefly upon seeing Hermione propped against the counter before offering her a small smile. She returned it half heartedly and placed her cup in the sink. Her eyes were deeply blood shot and puffy from a full night of weeping and her hair was pulled back into a messy bun; she looked tired. Hermione moved to walk past Sirius on her way out but he caught her quickly around the waist and pulled her into a tight hug. She sighed as she allowed her arms to encircle his waist and her scent to fill her nose.

"Who's going with you this morning?" he asked against her hair.

She shook her head lightly. "No one."

"Well that's just ridiculous. I'll come along, no one should have to do this alone." He said firmly pulling apart and taking her hand in his.

Hermione offered him a genuine smile of thanks for his support and allowed him to lead her out of the house to the front step. Her face remained blank as they surveyed the devastation surrounding them in the streets as he lead her carefully through the debris to the corner where he wrapped her in a tight hug again and apparated them to Diagon Alley.

You would have never known a war had taken place when you reached Diagon Alley. Nothing here was crumbled or smoldering, or the least bit charred. The streets were bustling with activity as witches and wizards hurried here and there buying supplies to replace those lost. Sirius furrowed his brown and looked down at Hermione curiously. Hermione returned his questioning gaze as they stepped into the hustle and bustle.

"The last time I was here," Hermione began looking around in shock. "there was nothing here but a few shells of bombed out buildings. The streets were nearly deserted, and there were only make shift tents set up to register the dead and injured."

Sirius nodded and squeezed her hand tightly. He led her straight to The Three Broomsticks. A pretty new bar maid was behind the counter tending to one or two afternoon stragglers. She smiled as Sirius and Hermione approached the bar.

"Hello, love." Sirius began, leaning against the counter. "I've been away…for a bit. Diagon seems to have been rebuilt rather quickly, hmm?" he turned on the charm.

The maid giggled, completely ignoring Hermione as Sirius flashed her a sexy smile.

"Well," she laughed merrily. "what did you expect? We are magical."

Sirius nodded thoughtfully. "Say, lovely, do you know if we're also rebuilding muggle London?"

Again the bar maid twittered. Hermione rolled her eyes. "Have you been living under a rock, handsome?"

Sirius leaned toward her, a wide smile dripping with sweetness. "Perhaps."

That twitter came again that made Hermione shudder. "We have teams formed that are sweeping through the hardest hit parts of the world first and rebuilding. They're responsible for collecting and tallying the dead, rebuilding the homes, and obliterating memories. It's going to be a looooooong process."

"How far back are they obliterating memories?" Hermione piped up.

The bar maid crinkled her nose as if Hermione were something vile for interrupting. "Pretty far," she said indifferently. "Far enough for those nasty muggles to forget that there are even witches and wizards."

Hermione's jaw dropped. "Six years of every muggle's memory? That's a bloody lot! And dangerous too!"

The maid shrugged. "Ces't la vie."

Hermione sighed exasperatedly, shook her head, grabbed Sirius by the hand, and dragged him toward the door. Sirius boomed with laughter at the maid's disappointed face. "Until we meet again!" he called as the door closed behind him and Hermione.

Hermione dragged Sirius around a corner into a deserted alley. "Six years! Six god damn years, Sirius! Do you know how much damage you can cause by obliterating six bloody years of memories?" she hissed.

Sirius nodded. "I know, love, but honestly I'm sure they've sent the best of the best."

"It doesn't bloody matter, Sirius, it's still wrong." She huffed. "I want to find out more about this after we've gone to the Registrars Offices about Padma and Parvati."

"Alright, we'll do a bit of detective work afterwards, love. Now let's go and get this over with." Sirius agreed. He leaned in and kissed her lip softly before taking her hand and leading her out of the alley. Even in this grimmest of situations, Hermione couldn't help but smile at the flutter in her stomach.


End file.
